Donegal prisoner arrested in Derry

A Donegal man who escaped from prison yesterday has been arrested by police in Derry.

A Donegal man who escaped from prison yesterday has been arrested by police in Derry.

Martin McDermott (26) from Raphoe had escaped from the low-security Loughan House prison near Blacklion in Co. Cavan on Thursday.

McDermott was given a seven-year sentence last July for the manslaughter of 24-year-old Garda Gary McLoughlin. The garda died after McDermott drove into his patrol car at Burt in 2009.

A cross-border search was launched after he was discovered missing from the open prison at around 5pm on Thursday. He was arrested by the PSNI at around 11am today. The Department of Justice is seeking a full report into how the prisoner may have escaped.

Garda McLoughlin died after McDermott had been pursued by another patrol car for up to 30km in a pursuit which reached speeds of more than 150kmph.

When he was jailed McDermott also admitted charges of dangerous driving causing death, drink-driving, driving without insurance and driving while disqualified.

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